


Still Here

by Glitteringworlds



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 19:52:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11928051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glitteringworlds/pseuds/Glitteringworlds
Summary: Postgame, Celica bonds with the strange woman found beneath Duma Tower, as they both cope with their sacrifices and the weight of surviving. Rated teen for implied unhealthy/abusive relationship between Rinea and Berkut, and the general creepiness of everything related to witches in this game.





	Still Here

Celica doesn’t recognize the crumpled, sobbing woman that she and Alm find on their way out of the caverns, and exhausted as she is, she doesn’t think to ask right away. Still worn thin, she leans on Conrad, and watches as Alm kneels down gathers the woman into a hug like so much powdered snow, whispering quiet apologies and assurances. The flickering firelight reveals a soft face and wild eyes, searching for something that Celica imagines she will not find.

It’s only when Alm tries to help her up and the woman lets out a chilling scream that Celica realizes both her hands are covered in bright red burns.

Once they get above ground and the group scatters, Celica goes to her, to find Rinea. She had caught the name from Alm, heard him whispering something about her to one of the other soldiers at his side.

From behind, it is easier to see that Rinea’s short hair is singed and uneven, though strangely enough, her clothes show now sign of having been burnt. It seems to Celica that perhaps nothing works quite as it should in Duma Tower.

She stands next to Rinea in silence for as long as it takes to feel confidant the woman has taken notice of her. Women often came to the priory, running and afraid, hoping to hide, and Celica recognizes the look, the twinges of fear and guilt. She needs and deserves only gentleness now. Rigel is a cold place, and the chaos of what has just happened won’t take long to spread out from the castle. Celica thinks, at least, she can offer a moment of solace to this woman, this stranger, can offer up whatever kindness she can muster, tired as she is.

“I can heal your hands, if you’d like. They will still scar, but it will ease the sting a bit.” 

Rinea’s lips part slightly as she turns to face Celica, and her eyebrows pull together in confusion. Her eyes are still unfocused, her attention drawn inward by some memory or fear. One hand reaches out, haltingly, towards Celica, and then stops. Drops to her side. Then she turns back to the window.

Celica does not ask again.

* * *

The Deliverance, alongside Celica’s group and the remains of the Rigelian forces, form into a strange new collective, and set about trying to spread the news that the war is over. Celica rests, and waits. Her time will certainly come, but for now she is more than willing to let Alm be the face of the new movement. For now, she enjoys the fresh air, and the crunch of snow under her feet, and the books she steals from all around the castle and stashes away in her room to read at her leisure.

Rinea comes to sit with her often, over the slowly unfolding weeks. Rarely saying much, just watching, sometimes sleeping. Her hands are treated and bandaged, and begin to heal, though no one sees to her hair until Celica gets fed up and tracks down one of the castle staff to help. She doesn’t trust her own hands, unsteady as they have been in recent days.

The next day, Rinea thanks her. It’s the first time she’s truly spoken to Celica, and Celica looks up from her book, surprised.

“It seemed unfair to leave it such a mess like that. Things may be hectic right now, but you deserve at least as much attention and grooming as Alm has been getting lately,” she finishes, rolling her eyes.

Rinea is silent for a moment, still staring. “Why did you do it?”

Frowning a bit, Celica shuts her book. “Like I said, it seemed like you-”

“No.” Rinea shakes her head, then finally breaks her gaze away, looking down at her bandaged hands. “Why did you bring me back?”

“I… what?”

“Your voice. I recognize it. I remember hearing it when I was…” She trails off, and Celica tries to put together the pieces.

“Those burns,” Celica says, haltingly. “Did you… was it someone else who caused them?”

Rinea shakes her head, then pauses, then nods. “He, he didn’t know.”

Setting her book down beside her, Celica moves to the chair where Rinea is sitting, crouching down a little to lay her hands over Rinea’s. “Did he do something to you that,” she pauses, trying to pick her words carefully, “that made you leave yourself?”

Rinea nods again, and Celica sighs.

“Something like that happened to me, as well. I remember many voices, and people. Crying for help”

“There was a warm light all around you, and I was afraid, but you begged us to come with you. I thought that maybe he…”

Celica had avoided thinking about it, thinking about where she had gone, when her soul had been offered up to Duma. But her nightmares were still haunted by writhing darkness, the voices, the horror of knowing there was no escape, and the deeper dread of realizing help had come, but for her alone.

She remembers reaching out, frantically, a thousand hands recoiling from her touch, all of them slipping away. All but one.

“I wanted to help,” Celica answers, finally. “I wanted to help everyone, but I couldn’t. So I tried to help you.” There are silent tears on Rinea’s cheeks, but still she doesn’t raise her eyes. “I’m sorry, Rinea. I’m sorry to have brought you back into such a cold, unhappy place. But I’m still with you, I still want to help. Please, if there is anything-”

Celica stops when Rinea starts sobbing, collapsing forward and off of her chair, throwing herself into Celica’s lap. It takes several seconds for Celica to recognize her frantic whispers as “thank you.”

After that, Celica does not often leave her side.

* * *

 

Rinea shows her around the castle, slowly. Neither of them have much energy, but the more time they spending walking and exploring together, the easier it becomes. It is two weeks after their first real conversation when they come to the ballroom.

Despite herself, Celica looks around with more than a little awe. The high ceiling is cloaked in darkness, and the room is unlit aside from a few candles at each end of the hall, but it is not hard to imagine the beauty it could be, filled with light, and finely dressed people.

“Did you dance here often?” she asks, watching as Rinea carefully sets her own candle down on one of the long tables at the edge of the room. Her hands are well on their way to healing, enough now that she can grasp and hold her own candle, but she is still overly cautious in every movement she makes.

“I’m afraid not.” Rinea comes up beside Celica, looking around the cavernous, empty space with her own small portion of awe. “I… never had the chance.” 

Celica catches a strange expression on Rinea’s face, as she catches her eye. Rinea blushes a little and then looks away, continuing, “have you ever danced, Celica?”

Laughing a little, Celica shakes her head. “I’m afraid there isn’t much call for grand balls at the temple. Sometimes Genny would make me dance with her, when she was younger, but I think that’s perhaps not quite the same.”

“I could show you a little, if you’d like. It’s been a long time since I’ve had the chance. And you ought to know, as the princess of Zofia.”

Celica sighs momentarily at the use of her title. “I am not sure if that will hold much sway in Valentia after all that has happened.” Something shifts her her stomach as she catches Rinea’s eyes darting to the floor, and she continues, “however, you may be right. I’ve never had much of a chance to learn how to hold myself as a noble, and now seems as good a time to learn as any.”

Holding out a hand, she smiles soft and Rinea, whose eyes dart up in surprise.

“I didn’t mean…”

“I know.” Celica shrugs. “But I imagine we won’t be left alone to wander Rigel Castle forever. So why not?”

Rinea smiles, hesitantly, and then takes her hand, leading her out towards the center of the room. It’s dark, as they move away from the candles, and when Rinea places her hand at Celica’s waist, Celica starts momentarily, caught by surprise.

“I’m sorry,” Rinea says, pulling away immediately, “I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine.” Celica finds her hand, and pulls it back to her hip. “I am supposed to place mine on your shoulder, correct?”

“Yes. Yes, that’s right. Just follow my lead.”

They have a few false starts, and Celica has trouble in particular with marking a beat in her head. When she realizes this, Rinea begins to hum, a gentle bouncing tune, and the steps start to come more easily.

They dance together, haltingly, into the dark heart of the ballroom, Celica following intently, occasionally loosing track of the light as they spin. Then they make their way back, more steadily, coming to a slow stop near the edge of the room.

Neither of them move, at first. Without speaking, Celica takes a half step forward, leaning her head against Rinea’s shoulder. Celica can pick out her heartbeat, slightly frantic.

“Rinea?” Celica feels the hand at her waist tense for a moment, then relax.

“Yes?”

“I want to try and help them. The rest of the people that were trapped in there with us. I… I don’t know how, but I have to do something.”

Rinea lets go of her hand, carefully reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind Celica’s ear. “Have you talked with the others about this? With Alm?”

Celica shakes her head against Rinea’s shoulder. “I don’t know how to. I don’t know if they’d understand.”

“Alright.” Rinea brushes her hand down Celica’s hair, then lets it rest there. “We can try and help them. But… not right now, Celica. I’m not, I can’t…”

“I know.” Celica sighs, pulling away a bit so she can meet Rinea’s eyes. “Just… someday.” Mustering her best smile, she continues, “maybe once you’ve taught me to dance a little better.”

“I’m sure you would meet the standards of most of the men that call themselves nobles around here,” Rinea replies, the barest hint of a cold spark in her eyes. “They care for title and beauty more than anything, anyways.”

“Well,” Celica says, trying not to let her thoughts get tangled, “I won’t hold myself to their standards, then. When you think I can dance, truly, properly dance… then we will try and find a way.”

“Okay.” Rinea says. “Okay.”

And then she pulls Celica towards her again, and begins to lead them once more across the silent room.


End file.
